Motorcycling is a recreational past time enjoyed by motorcycle drivers and passengers alike. Riding on motorcycles is known to involve safety risks, given the lack of protection of motorcycle riders. While all motorcycles have handles for the driver of a motorcycle, many motorcycles do not have handles for the passenger.
The general lack of passenger handles requires the passenger to put their hands palms down against the gas tank, or else hold onto the body or clothes of the motorcycle driver, but this can be uncomfortable and/or unsafe for both the passenger and the driver. For example, if a passenger is simply pressing their hands against the gas tank, they do not have a way of anchoring their body. If the passenger holds onto the driver, they can lose their balance in the event that the driver shifts his or her weight unexpectedly, thereby endangering themselves as well as possibly also causing balance issues for the driver. The movement and weight distribution of motorcycle riders and passengers during accelerating, turning, maneuvering around challenging objects or through rough roads or terrain, and/or braking (especially sudden braking) can pose significant risks to a passenger. Furthermore, a driver's mobility can be restricted by a passenger holding onto the driver's body or clothes. For such reasons, the passenger is put at greater risk, and the driver is inconvenienced by the need to concentrate on the safety of both themselves and the driver.
Passenger handles have been proposed for motorcycles, but some of these handles are not quickly and easily detachable from the motorcycle, therefore detracting from the general aesthetics of the motorcycle itself. Other handles available for motorcycles which do readily detach from the motorcycle, via suction cups for example, are difficult or uncomfortable to use because of their design and orientation during use. Handles detachable via suction cups generally have handles which are attached at both ends to a base while also having a gripping portion parallel to the base. When applied to a surface of the motorcycle that is accessible to the passenger, these handles do not provide the same level of comfort as the driver's handles, for example. Passengers, many of whom are female and may have thin wrists, can strain their wrists or put themselves in an awkward position when using these detachable handles, thereby facing discomfort as well as the risk of minor or serious injury.